I am considering purchasing a Tsunami 165. The only issue with the fit is the knee/thigh braces. I have not been able to spend much time making adjustments and I know I need to take that time before I buy.
But - I also wonder if it would be possible to simply remove the stock braces and make some custom fit braces for the boat. Has anyone done that sort of thing?
How do they not fit?
Might make for better answers - can you not get them far enough forward or back, or is it something else?
tsunami braces
You can adjust them forward or back by loosening the two screws on top of the thigh braces. You could also make your own out of minicell, and just glue them to the deck, or get fancier by gluing them to a piece of plywood or nylon plate or something, and then secure those in the same way that the factory braces are secured.
Sure, but…
I agree, it would be easier to give you a definitive if you could provide more info regarding the fitment issues you have with the factory braces.
I’m a tall skinny feller who likes to paddle with legs rather straight out and my Tempest 170 has a high foredeck. I’m building some new thigh braces that will be 1.5-2" thicker than the factory units so I don’t have to lift so much to engage them.
I’m using the factory brace mount plate as a template, the new mount plate will be made from 3/16" Lexan. I’ll carve minicell foam to suit - deeper hook longer braces. The foam brace pads will then be glued to the Lexan mount and drilled to fit in the boat much as the originals do.
Its not all that hard and I’ll take some pictures of the process but this won’t happen until November when my waters start to freeze up (he says November rather optimistically!)